Steve Diamond is a former Sale player and manager who currently holds the executive director of rugby post at Sale Sharks.

A no-nonsense former hooker who has gained legend status at the Stockport club, Diamond also coached Macclesfield before rejoining Sale. He became manager of the Sharks and alongside Jim Mallinder he guided the club to the 2002 Challenge Cup and second place in the Guinness Premiership which qualified them for the Heineken Cup.

The coaching duo took charge of the England Saxons side that took part in the 2003 Churchill Cup, but they were replaced at Edegley Park by former French international Phillipe Saint Andre at the beginning of the 2004-05 season. Diamond was appointed director of rugby at Saracens midway through the 2004-05 season, but his ill-fated spell lasted less than a year before he was sacked despite guiding the club to Heineken Cup qualification.

He was appointed to the Russian post in 2008 by former Sale chief executive Howard Thomas and is assisted by another former Sale favourite in Jos Baxendell. His job was to guide the developing rugby nation to the New Zealand World Cup, and he delivered with three games to spare in the European Nations Cup with Georgia pipping them to the title.

But in February 2011, Diamond arrived back at Edgeley Park to replace the outgoing Mike Brewer. After experiencing huge change at Sale in the close season, with around 18 players leaving, Diamond had a promising start to the 2011-12 campaign and led his side to fourth at the turn of the year.

In January 2012 the Premiership club confirmed that Diamond would take over as their new chief executive from February. Diamond would combine the new duties with his current role as executive director of sport.